In exchange for one questionably massage from a certain beautiful girl, Kiana received Nagami's advice on how to handle her situation—a strategy that sounded completely unreliable:
"Just act natural, and let things flow."
Kiana stared at him in disbelief.
That doesn't even count as a strategy!
She nearly launched into a full-on tantrum, but after thinking it over, she grudgingly held back her tiny fists of fury.
Might as well try it first.
To her utter shock, doing exactly what Nagami suggested actually worked.
Nothing happened—no arguments, no awkward tension, not even a weird silence.
Nagami's image in Kiana's mind leveled up once again.
'Amazing! This guy's a genius!'
Well, of course it worked.
As long as C.C. carefully controlled the flow of conversation with Mei, Kiana's fate was entirely in her hands.
Whether she'd be metaphorically saved or sacrificed—just a matter of C.C.'s whim.
————————————————————————
The atmosphere in the living room was warm and peaceful.
Delicious-smelling Japanese dishes filled the polished sandalwood dining table.
Under the soft glow of warm lighting, the group sat around, enjoying the meal.
"No matter how many times I eat your cooking, I never get tired of it," Nagami said, putting down his chopsticks and offering Mei genuine praise fit for the Herrscher of Cuisine.
"Exactly! Mei's food is the best in the whole world!" Kiana cried, practically glowing—until she noticed C.C. smiling sweetly at her from across the table.
She quickly corrected herself. "I mean, uh, C.C.'s cooking is amazing too, of course!"
"Aww, you two are exaggerating. I still have a long way to go," Mei said modestly, smiling with gentle grace.
C.C. tucked a strand of her soft hair behind her ear and was about to say something, when a sudden, sharp feeling of being watched made her freeze.
Beside her, Nagami narrowed his eyes slightly.
'Again?'
This sensation was different from before—someone else was watching them now.
Nagami stood up and made his way to the storage room, grabbing a spray bottle.
After filling it with water, he walked to the balcony and began watering the flowers, as if nothing was wrong.
At the same time, he pushed his dual-consciousness to its peak, honing in on the faint, almost imperceptible gaze.
Eventually, he locked onto a closed window in the apartment building across the street.
It was too far to see clearly, but the drawn curtains were visible.
'This one's good,' he thought.
Far more skilled than the last observer.
The current feeling of being watched was subtle, a creeping awareness rather than the direct gaze he'd felt before.
Previously, Nagami could pinpoint his watcher with ease.
But this time? This one had real skill.
'Could a regular soldier under Cocolia really be this capable?'
Unlikely.
And considering that the Honkai energy concentration in Nagazora City had spiked recently, Cocolia's plans were probably entering their final stages.
That meant the identity of this observer was becoming clear.
'The third of the Herrscher trio has arrived.'
But since Nagami was now targeting the First Herrscher core himself, Bronya wouldn't have a chance to become that infamous "moto-duck."
Sure enough, behind those curtains was a high-grade surveillance telescope that clearly wasn't for civilian use.
Standing at the window was a small, expressionless girl—her twin-drill gray hair curled in symmetrical spirals, matching the cool gray of her eyes.
Her face was youthful, but the severe seriousness etched into her features betrayed her age and experience.
Multiple monitors behind her displayed images from the area surrounding Nagami's apartment—but none inside it.
The intelligence she'd received warned that this target, Nagami, had an unusually acute sense of perception and didn't mind close-range surveillance.
Bronya Zaychik, the famed "Silver Wolf of Urals," silently lowered the telescope and gave the faintest nod.
'Cocolia's men weren't exaggerating,' she thought. 'This target really is extraordinary.'
Despite Nagami using the flower-watering as a cover, she knew he'd sensed her.
If it had been any of Cocolia's regular agents, they would've been completely unaware that they'd been noticed.
Even so, Bronya didn't plan to abandon this surveillance post.
Judging by his behavior, Nagami didn't seem hostile—yet.
It looked like an unspoken truce, for now.
But it was clear: this boy was no ordinary target. His threat level far exceeded that of Raiden Mei.
————————————————————————
Back inside, Nagami returned to the living room.
Watching Mei quietly cleaning up the dishes, he hesitated for a couple seconds, then spoke.
"Mei, why don't you stay over tonight?"
Then, before she could respond, he added, "Actually, you should just move in. We've got spare rooms anyway."
"Eh!?" Mei nearly dropped the plate in her hands.
"Yeah, yeah! You should totally move in, Mei!" Kiana immediately jumped in to support the idea, waving her arms with enthusiasm. "It's no fun going home to an empty house, right?"
"And don't worry—if Nagami ever tries anything sketchy, I'll beat him up until he's picking his teeth off the floor!"
She clenched her little fists with mock ferocity.
Mei rolled her eyes affectionately at Kiana, chuckling at her antics.
She wasn't going to overthink things—not when both Kiana and C.C. were also living here.
And besides… even if Nagami did like her…
…She wasn't sure she'd say no.
Mei quickly shook those thoughts out of her head and turned to the boy, noticing the serious look on his face.
"Nagami, what brought this up all of a sudden?"
Nagami's voice dropped a tone.
"I've been feeling like we're being watched again. It's probably the same people behind what happened to your uncle. And if I'm right, their next target… could be you."
"What?!" ×2 The moment Nagami's words left his mouth, the two shocked voices rang out in unison.
"Nagami, have you already found out who framed my father and sent him to prison?" Mei rushed to him, gripping Nagami's shoulders tightly.
Her anxiety and urgency made her momentarily lose composure.
"Calm down, Mei." Nagami's voice remained steady.
He gently placed his hand over hers in a soothing gesture—her skin soft and delicate, almost distractingly so.
"I've only uncovered the faint outline of the truth. But the force behind it is massive. Before long, we might have to temporarily leave Nagazora City."
He was laying the groundwork, preparing everyone so that when the time came to leave, it wouldn't feel so abrupt.
"Don't worry, Mei—I'll protect you no matter what!" Kiana, for once, wore a rare expression of seriousness.
But right after saying that, she tilted her head toward Nagami, her ocean-blue eyes full of suspicion.
Nagami plays video games at home all day, when exactly did he find time to investigate anything?
After two seconds of thinking and getting nowhere, Kiana simply gave up and tossed the question out of her mind.
[TL Note – Tuna brain….]
"That's right—we'll all be here for you."
With the natural ease of a fellow girl, C.C. pulled Mei into a gentle hug, her hands softly stroking her back through the girl's silky hair.
"C.C-san…" It was impossible not to be touched.
Mei's soft lavender eyes shimmered with moisture, filled with a depth of warmth and gratitude. She nodded firmly.
"Then it's settled. It's still early—we'll go grab your things from your place."
Glancing at the clock, Nagami headed into his room, grabbed his car keys, and waved for Mei to follow.
"I'm coming too~! I'm coming too!" Kiana bounced after them, her twin braids swaying behind her like streams of flowing water.
"Guess I'll stay home then." C.C. smiled sweetly as she waved them off. "Safe travels~"
Once everyone was inside the elevator, she finally let out a long breath and zipped back to the living room, flopping onto the couch and swinging the door shut behind her.
Talking to herself in front of others really wasn't her thing.
With that, her focus shifted back to the chat group—time for her usual scroll-and-chatter session.